Interactive ball

ABSTRACT

An interactive ball that may project a sound. The interactive ball may include a ball with an audio chip and a speaker. The interactive ball may further include an activation device. When in use, the ball may be thrown from a presenter to an audience member, between two participants, or used individually. The audience member or participant may receive the ball and activate the activation device. A sound may then project from the speaker, which may include a message.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an interactive ball and, more particularly, to an interactive ball that projects sound from a speaker.

When teaching a class or giving a presentation it is important to keep the audience engaged. The more engaged the audience is, the more the audience will absorb information from the presentation. Typically, the audience may stop paying attention after seven minutes of lecture. There is nothing in the classroom that may cause a short and effective hook to reengage the audience. Currently, presenters may throw around a ball to engage audience's attention. However, the ball is not interactive, does not teach soft skills, does not motivate, and not does it teach life lessons.

As can be seen, there is a need for a device that reengages an audience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an interactive ball comprises: an upper half; a lower half that attaches to the upper half to form the interactive ball; an audio chip attached within the upper half and the lower half; a speaker that projects the audio from the audio chip, attached within the upper half and the lower half; an activation device that activates the audio chip; and a battery that powers the audio chip.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention shown in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention provided in FIG. 1; and.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the present invention in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an interactive ball. The interactive ball may include a ball with an audio chip and a speaker. The interactive ball may further include an activation device. When in use, the ball may be thrown from a presenter to an audience member, from one person to another, or used independently. The audience member or individual may receive the ball and activate the activation device. A sound may then project from the speaker in the ball.

The present invention may include a tool to help introduce and teach soft skills and motivate the participant. The present invention may also be a tool to engage and keep an audience's attention throughout a period of time. The present invention may be used for classrooms, between parents and children, couples, for training sessions with employees, counseling, diet programs, and team building exercises. The present invention may be an easy and effective instructional tool to engage and keep the audience's attention throughout a lecture period.

Further, the present invention may be used to diffuse negative exchanges between participants by being a distraction. The negative behavior brings attention to the participant. By utilizing the ball, the attention moves to the instructor and the lecture may be continued uninterrupted.

The present invention may include a ball that may be pitched to a participant and the participant may push a button. The ball may than deliver a motivational saying, project an audio projection to help the participant gain a skill or bring attention back to the speaker. The present invention may be an interactive tool as opposed to just a regular ball being thrown.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, the present invention may include a ball device 38. The ball device 38 may include an external ball upper half 10 and an external ball lower half 12. The external ball upper half 10 and the external ball lower half 12 may be secured together to form the ball device 38. The rest of the components of the present invention may be housed in the external ball upper half 10 and the external ball lower half 12. The external ball upper half 10 and lower half 12 may be made of a compressible or soft material to facilitate easy catching. The ball device 38 may be any size desired for users to appropriately catch. For example, the ball device 38 may be approximately 12 inches in circumference.

The present invention may further include an audio chip within the ball device 38. The audio chip may include sound bites of messages or songs. A speaker 26 may be attached to the audio chip to project the sound bite from the audio chip. The present invention may further include a battery to power the audio chip and speaker 26. In certain embodiments, a port 20 may be protruding from the surface of the ball device 38. The port 20 may be used to recharge the battery or may be used to upload new sound bites to the audio chip. Therefore, a user may upload different sound bites using the port 20 to project different messages or songs.

In certain embodiments, the present invention may further include an activation device. The activation device may be used to turn the audio chip on and/or off. In certain embodiments, the activation device may be a button 18 protruding from the surface of the ball device 38. Therefore, a user may press the button 18 to activate the audio chip. However, the present invention is not limited to a button 18, and may use a motion or sound sensing activation device.

In certain embodiments, the ball device 38 may include an internal ball that further houses the equipment. The internal ball may include an internal ball upper half 14 and an internal ball lower half 16 that may be attached together to form the internal ball. In certain embodiments, there may be water in between the internal ball and the external ball. For example, the water may be distilled water.

To secure the speaker 26 and the audio chip within the internal ball, a plate 30 may be attached to the internal ball lower half 16. A bracket 28 may be secured to the plate. The bracket 28 may support the speaker 26 and a ring 24. The ring 24 may secure a second plate 22. The second plate 22 may secure the port 22 and the button 18. In certain embodiments, the internal ball upper half 14 and the external ball upper half 10 may include cut out portions for the port 20 and the button 18 to protrude through. The second plate 22, the internal ball upper half 14, and the external ball upper half 10 may all include sound holes 40 to project the sound clearly.

In use, a first exemplary operator 32 may be presenting in front of an audience. The first exemplary operator 32 may want to engage some of the audience members. The exemplary operator 32 may toss the ball device 38 to an audience member, such a second exemplary operator 34. The second exemplary operator 34 may activate the ball device 38. The ball device 38 may then project a sound through the sound openings 40 that may include an uplifting message, song or the like.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An interactive ball comprising: an upper half; a lower half that attaches to the upper half to form the interactive ball; an audio chip attached within the upper half and the lower half; a speaker that projects the audio from the audio chip, attached within the upper half and the lower half; an activation device that activates the audio chip; and a battery that powers the audio chip.
 2. The interactive ball of claim 1, further comprising a bracket that secures the speaker within the ball.
 3. The interactive ball of claim 2, further comprising an inner ball upper half and an inner ball lower half attached together within the upper half and the lower half, wherein the bracket, the audio chip, the speaker, and the battery are secured within the inner ball upper half and the inner ball lower half.
 4. The interactive ball of claim 3, further comprising water in between the inner ball and the interactive ball.
 5. The interactive ball of claim 1, wherein the upper half comprises sound openings.
 6. The interactive ball of claim 2, wherein the upper half and the inner upper half comprises sound openings.
 7. The interactive ball of claim 1, further comprising a port protruding through the surface of the interactive ball.
 8. The interactive ball of claim 6, wherein the port is used for at least one of charging the battery and uploading sound bites to the audio chip.
 9. The interactive ball of claim 1, wherein the activation device is a button protruding from the surface of the ball.
 10. The interactive ball of claim 1, wherein the upper half and lower half are made of a compressible material.
 11. A method of using the device of claim 7 comprising: tossing the device from a first user to a second user; pressing the button protruding from the surface of the ball; listening to a sound projection from the ball; and tossing the device to another user. 